Building construction



Junef'22, 1965 G. G. GREULlcH BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22. 1961 3,190,404 BUILDING ooNsrnUcTroN Gerald G. Greulich, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., assigner to The present invention relates to a building construction and more particularly to a novel metal utility or stock building in which the side walls and the roof are made in preformed sections or panels and these panels assembled in situ. The construction and arrangement of the metal sections or panels permits rapid :assembly and simple installation of the component parts of a metal building of the type disclosed and in which substantial `savings are effected in the cost, time and labor required in erection.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an all metal utility building formed of a rigid ,frame of sheet metal and in which conventional structural supporting members are eliminated. Except in the construction of a relatively large building, angle braces at the knees of the building are not required, and bv utilizing heavier metal in forming the panels these braces may be eliminated in the construction of such larger buildings. The integral skin or surface covering of the building over the frame of spaced ribs or hat sections firmly connected at the knee of the building along the eaves forms rigid frame members with the frame and stressed skin covering providing an integral unit.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel building construction comprising sectional panels including laterally spaced ribs, channel members or hat sections secured to the interior of the surface covering at spaced intervals. Both the walls and the roof are formed of these preformed sections or panels which are of a length and width susceptible of easy handling and ready assembly. When the side wall and roof sections are assembled, the adjoining end of the underlying ribs or hat sections which are arranged in alternate relation interengage or dovetail together with those of the side wall conformably received in the spaces between those of the roof and the end of the ribs or hat sections on the roof conformably received in the spaces between the ribs or hat sections of the side wall, the overlapping or interengaging ends of the ribs being suitably joined together as by welding or by other anchoring means to form a rigid frame knee.

In the novel embodiment of the present invention is the provision of a cap member which covers the junction of the ribs or hat sections at the apex of the roof and is ysecured to the panels and the flanges of the hat sections.

'y of an overhang and closure at the eaves of the building to provide novel protection thereat between the adjoining and connecting portions of the overhanging roof and side walls.

i ri`he present invention further contemplates the provision of a novel means and manner of anchoring the building structure onto its foundation or base to provide a rigid assembly.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, eiciency, economy and ease of assembly,

'and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of an illustrative em- United States Patent O 3,190,404 Patented June 22, 1965 lCC bodiment of a metal building constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a knee of the building with the outer sheet metal surface covering or skin removed to disclose the interengagement or dovetailing of the adjoining ends of the ribs or hat sections of the structure.

FIG. 3 is a disassembled perspective view showing the upper portion of a preformed side wall panel and the elevated end of a roof panel about to be lowered and joined together.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the building with portions thereof broken away to disclose the details of construction of the building, including the use of reinforcing braces when required, and a form of anchoring means to anchor the lower end of a wall panel to the foundation for the building.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view of FIG. 4 showing the novel connection of the ribs or hat sections at the apex of the roof of the building and a novel cap secured to the inclined roof panels and the flanges of the ribs or hat sections.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic end elevational view of the building on a reduced scale to show the manner in which the sides and roof sections of the rigid frame assembly are hinged in effect at two points at the ridge and foundation wall while the roof and side sections are securely joined at the eave or knee to form a rigid frame component.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tapered hat section or rib of the frame assembly.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment in which the rib or hat section employed is a straight channel member.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings and to the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown therein, FIG. l discloses a metal building 10 constructed in the novel manner herein set forth. The side walls 11 and roof 12 of the building are formed of muitiple panels or Wall sections and similar multiple roof panels or sections. Each preformed wall and roof panel is of a suitable height or length with these preformed panels preferably lof a Width convenient for handling when erecting the building. For example, for small utility or stock buildings, the panels for the side of the building preferably extend for the complete height and each roof panel is preferably of a length to run from the apex 13 of the roof to the eave 14, with the panels being preferably of a width between two and one-half and three feet. However, the dimensions given are but illustrative and are not intended to be limiting.

As shown in FIG. 3, both the side and end walls designated generally by the reference numeral 11 and the roof 12 are formed of preformed sections or panels including ribbed sheet metal providing the exposed surface covering or skin 15 with spaced rib members or hat sections 16 secured by spot welding or other suitable means to the interior surface thereof. Each rib member or hat section 16 is formed with a base or crown portion 17, substantially vertical side webs 18 and outwardly extending flanges 19 aiiixed to the inner or underside of the surface covering 15. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, these rib members 16 are preferably of constant or uniform width While the depth thereof preferably varies or decreases from one to the other end. The ribbed surface covering 15 of the side walls is shown as terminating short of the upper ends of the hat sections 16 while the ribbed skin or covering 15 of the roof extends beyond the ends of the hat sections 16 to form an overhang 21. The hat sections 16 are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal or conforming to the width of a hat section taken at the side webs 18.

As shown in FIG 2, the hat sections or ribbed members Y 16 are arranged in alternating fashion on the side walls 11 and the roof 12 so that when the building is assembled,

12 will conformably project into the space between the hat sections of the side walls 11, with'the side webs 18 of adjacent hat sections 16 disposed in abutting Vrelation at the ends thereof, and these adjoining webs are then secured together by any suitable attaching means 22, such as welding, rivets yor bolts..

FIG. 4 discloses a building construction embodying the side walls 11 and the roof 12 each formed of preformed panels including the ribbed metal surface covering or skin y1'5 and the tapered hat sections or ribbed members 16,

with a knee joint 23 at the eave 14, and with a cap member 24 at the apex 13 ofthe roof where the adjoining ends ofthe roof sections come together. The cap member 24 extends the lengthof the building and overlaps the sections of the roof 12 to thereat effect sealing contact. As

Ashown in FIG. 5,*the hat sections 16 terminate vin sup'- wardly bent tongues 25 extending from the crown pori adjacent panels may be conveniently locked together and sealed thereat.

One or more walls of thefnovel building construction may be provided with an access opening 36 and suitable type of closure therefor. In the illustrated embodiment 'of FIG. 1, a sliding closure 37 is shown.

YWhile a 'building of a particular and effective shape Yhas been shown and described by way of illustration, it is Vnot the` intent or desire to unnecessarily restrict the improvement by virtue Vof this limited showing. It is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed tions 17; the tongues of oppositevhat sections abutting andsecured together by bolts'26. The cap 24 is placed over the roof sections and is secured byy suitable fastening y Vmeans 27 to the flanges 19 of the hat sections 16. This 28 comprise a series of spaced pipe or angle Vbraces 29y which are secured at their opposite ends to longitudinally extending angle members 30 secured to the ribs or'hat sections 16 of the side walls 11 and the sections of the roof12. If the reinforcing members are not desired in a larger building, then heavier sheet metal may be provided in the hat sections 16 of the frame and the skin or covering 1S` of ,theI structural panels.

As will be evident from FIG. 3, the outer. or overhanging end 21.of the surface covering or sheet v15 of the roof panels projects beyond the adjoining .ends of the underlyingribs or hat sections 16. l Also the upper end of surfacing covering or sheet 15 of the wall panels stop short of the adjacent projecting end of the ribs orhat sections 16 of the wall panels. When the adjoining ends of the ribs or hat sections 16 of the roof and wall panels are interengaged and joined together as shown in FIG. 4, a closure plate 31 is secured to the sidewalls 11 to cover the space left between the upper endsof the outer surface sheet 15 'of the wall panels and the eave 14. Also, the lower end or base of the panels of the side walls v 11 is secured to the foundation 32 of the building 10 'by means of tongues or lips 33 bent inward from the base or crown portion of the ribs ,with a suitable anchoring means 34 passing through openings inthe Yprojecting tongues or lips. Y

FIG. 6 discloses the diagrammatic view of a complete building 10 devoid of any braces or reinforcing member 28 and showing the taper of the hat sections 16 ofthe panels of the side wallsand roof. These sections ofthe side .panels taper from their greatest depth at the knee joint y23 to the foundation 32 and those of the roof taper upwardly toward the apex 13-of the roof. FIG. 7 disclosesv By forming one of the longitudinal edges ofthe outer Vcovering '15 with a downwardly opening groove V35 and the opposite edgeV with an outturned flange adapted'tobe conformably received in the groove of an adjoining panel,

herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the actual disclosure.

Having thus disclosed theinvention, I claim:

1. In a building construction, a rigid knee `joint for the roof and side walls ofthe building comprising a plurality of parallel spaced vertically disposed channel members, a plurality of parallel spaced angularly disposed channel members, said vertical channel members being arranged in staggered relation 'at their ends with the ends of .the angularly disposed channel members and these ends interengaging, and means to securely join the ends of adjacent channel members.

`2.y In a building construction asfset forth in claim 1, in which each channel member includes a crown portion and side webs,.and the adjoining side websof adjacent channel members are secured together.

3. In a building construction as set forth in claim 1, in which anglebraces are provided at the knee joints with the ends of the angle braces being afxedto horizontal angle members secured across the channel members andspaced from the kneeV joint.

4. In a building construction as set forth in claim 1, in which said channel members include a crown portion, side webs and outwardly extending anges, and a metal sheet secured to the anges to form the outer surface of the building. v

Y 5.Y In a building construction as set forth in claim 1,

in which each channel member includes a bent tongue vat the end opposite said knee joint for attachment to an adjoining surface.

6. In a building construction, a plurality of outwardly opening vertically disposed parallel hat sections, a plurality of outwardly opening generally angularly disposed hat sections, said vertical hat sections being spaced apart a distance equal to approximately the width of a hat section and said. generally angularly disposed hat section also being spaced apart a distance equal to approximately the width of Ia hat section, said hat sections including a crown portion, side webs and outwardly extending anges, and a rigid knee joint at the adjoining ends of said vertically Ydisposed and generally angularly disposed hat sections, said vertical hatsections arranged in staggered relation to the generally angularly disposed hat sections and the ends of said hatsections interengaged, said side webs of adjoining hat sections engaging each other, and means joining said engagingside webs together. v

,7. In a building construction as set lforth in claim 6, in which the side webs of each hat section are approximately parallel. ,Y v

8. A buildingstructure havinga rigid stable frame provided with exible joints at the foundation and the apex vof the roof, comprising a plurality of spaced vertically disposed parallel Vchannel members, a plurality of spaced parallel angularly disposed channel members meeting at the apex of the roof and interengaging with the vertically disposed channel members at the eaves, a rigid knee joint formed at the interengaging ends `of the channel members,an upwardly bent tongue on the end of the angularly disposed channel members opposite the knee Ajoint: and abutting a like tongue of another angularly dis- .posed channel member at the apex of the roof, means securing said abutting tongues together to form a exible joint, an inwardly bent tongue on the lower end of each vertically disposedfchannel member, and anchoring means securing said last mentioned tongues to the foundation 2,405,584 8/46 Lewis 189-1 X of the building. 2,697,407 12/54 Tyree 50-64 2,730,208 1/56 Valentine 189-1 X References Cited by the Examiner 3,113,648 12/63 Key 189--1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREGN PATENTS Palmer W. JR., Primary Examiner- 2054477 9/36 Hahn 50-186 CORNELIUS D. ANGEL, JACOB L. NACKENOFF,

Examiners. 

8. A BUILDING STRUCTURE HAVING A RIGID STABLE FRAME PROVIDED WITH FLEXIBLE JOINTS AT THE FOUNDATION AND THE APEX OF THE ROOF, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICALLY DISPOSED PARALLEL CHANNEL MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL ANGULARLY DISPOSED CHANNEL MEMBERS MEETING AT THE APEX OF THE ROOF AND INTERENGAGING WITH THE VERTICALLY DISPOSED CHANNEL MEMBERS AT THE EAVES, A RIGID KNEE JOINT FORMED AT THE INTERENGING ENDS OF THE CHANNEL MEMBERS, AN UPWARDLY BENT TONGUE ON THE END OF THE ANGULARLY DISPOSED CHANNEL MEMBERS OPPOSITE THE KNEE JOINT AND ABUTTING A LIKE TONGUE OF ANOTHER ANGULARLY DISPOSED CHANNEL MEMBER AT THE APEX OF THE ROOF, MEANS SECURING SAID ABUTTING TONGUES TOGETHER TO FORM A FLEXIBLE JOINT AN INWARDLY BENT TONGUE ON THE LOWER END OF EACH VERTICALLY DISPOSED CHANNEL MEMBER, AND ANCHORING MEANS SECURING SAID LAST MENTIONED TONGUE TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE BUILDING. 